Birmingham's foodie scene was celebrating in September after Carters of Moseley became the city's fifth restaurant to boast a Michelin star, new images showed bright future for Mere Green and there was anger over Capita's city council deal

New images showed long overdue work to transform an upmarket Birmingham suburb was set to become a reality.

The £15 million regeneration of Mere Green, mooted for more than a decade, was finally under way with significant demolition work already completed by September.

The project, a joint venture between Salmon Developments and NFU Mutual Assurance Society, will eventually see a three-acre site transformed with new bars, restaurants and shops, with the likes of Marks & Spencer and Boots already signed up.

City architect Bob Ghosh drew up the masterplan for the scheme, called Mulberry Walk, and said he aimed to create a public square to become the new focal point of the area on the edge of Sutton Park.

The city's outsourcing contract with Capita came under fire again after Service Birmingham accounts unveiled dividends of more than £1 million a month.

City business expert Professor David Bailey dubbed the IT outsourcing contract "gross by name and gross in nature" after new accounts showed the venture paid out £12.5 million in dividends during the year to private firm Capita.

However, the dividend fell from £23 million the year before and Service Birmingham's chairman said the operation provided an efficient and valuable service to Birmingham City Council.

Service Birmingham - which is actually a partnership between Birmingham City Council and Capita - saw its turnover fall from £107.4 million to £98.5 million in 2014, while pre-tax profit fell from £19.7 million to £15.8 million.

Construction began on the new head office of HSBC's ring-fenced bank at 2 Arena Central - days after its new name was unveiled.

The pressure is on for building work to be completed with HSBC planning to have 2,500 employees in place by early 2018.

The start of construction work was another milestone in the historic move and came after the banking giant said the new operation would be called HSBC UK despite rumours of a return for the Midland brand.

The work also brought long-awaited progress at the 9.2-acre Arena Central site, which has been masterplanned to deliver a million sq ft of office-led, mixed use development.